Lester, Gagne Shine In Red Sox Win

Jon Lester hadn't pitched in Fenway Park in nearly a year. Eric Gagne hadn't pitched well for the Boston Red Sox in two outings. <br/><br/>A rare ninth-inning rally by the Red Sox on Tuesday night

Wednesday, August 15th 2007, 7:31 am

By: News On 6

Jon Lester hadn't pitched in Fenway Park in nearly a year. Eric Gagne hadn't pitched well for the Boston Red Sox in two outings.

A rare ninth-inning rally by the Red Sox on Tuesday night gave them a 2-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, saved Lester a loss and gave Gagne his first win with his new team.

Mike Lowell hit his 16th homer to tie the game for Boston and three batters later Coco Crisp drove in the winning run with a single. It was only the second time this season the Red Sox won when trailing after eight innings.

``It seemed like we hadn't done that in a while,'' Lowell said. ``Especially after they did that to us in Baltimore twice, you kind of want to have that feeling.''

Both losses in Baltimore came when Gagne, acquired in a trade with Texas on July 31, gave up leads.

On Tuesday night, Gagne (3-0) struck out the side in the top of the ninth, keeping the Red Sox down 1-0.

``I know how to get people out,'' Gagne said. ``I've done it before, so it's nothing new. I've just got to go out there and relax.''

In other AL games on Tuesday, it was: Detroit 6, Cleveland 2 in 10 innings; Baltimore 12, New York 0; Toronto 4, Los Angeles 1; Texas 5, Kansas City 3; Minnesota 11, Seattle 3; and Oakland 4, Chicago 3.

Lester was brilliant in his first start at home in nearly a year since being diagnosed with cancer, allowing two hits in seven innings.

He underwent offseason treatments for lymphoma, which was diagnosed last August. He made 17 minor league starts this year and four for Boston on the road before Tuesday's first at Fenway since Aug. 18.

``Walking in from the bullpen was pretty exciting,'' Lester said. ``It will be nice just to not have to answer the 'first' questions anymore and just be treated like every other starter.''

The other starter had as good a night as Lester.

Scott Kazmir, like Lester a 23-year-old left-hander, allowed four hits in six innings. His 10th win looked good going to the bottom of the ninth.

Lowell homered off Al Reyes (1-2) to tie the game. After an out, Jason Varitek doubled and Crisp followed with the game-winner, setting off an on-field celebration.

It happened six times last season but only one other time this year, on May 13, at home against the Orioles.

On Monday, Tampa Bay wasted a solid outing by James Shields in a 3-0 loss in which it managed two hits. The Devil Rays, who scored in the fourth on a sacrifice fly by Carlos Pena, have two runs in their last 30 innings.

``It's frustrating,'' manager Joe Maddon said, but ``it bodes well for the future if you look at Kaz and Shields coming into this ballpark and pitching at the level that they have.''

Tigers 6, Indians 2, 10 innings

Magglio Ordonez hit a three-run homer off Joe Borowski (2-5) in Detroit's four-run 10th inning as the Tigers moved one game ahead of Cleveland in the AL Central. Curtis Granderson made an all-out diving catch in the eighth to keep the game tied 2-2. Gary Sheffield's RBI single gave Detroit a 3-2 lead in the 10th and Ordonez followed with his 22nd homer to give him four RBIs in the game.

Grady Sizemore hit a two-run homer for the Indians, who went 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position. Cleveland, which started the season 33-13 at home, has lost 13 of its last 17 at Jacobs Field.

Orioles 12, Yankees 0

Aubrey Huff hit a grand slam and Daniel Cabrera pitched two-hit ball into the seventh as the Orioles snapped New York's four-game winning streak. Kevin Millar homered and reached base five times for the Orioles, while Melvin Mora went 3-for-4 and Jay Payton drove in two runs.

Hideki Matsui's fourth-inning single and Alex Rodriguez's infield hit in the sixth was all New York could manage against Cabrera (9-12), who struck out five and tied a season high with six walks in 6 2-3 innings.

Spot starter Jeff Karstens (0-3) struggled with his control and only lasted three innings for New York, which observed a moment of silence to honor Hall of Fame shortstop Phil Rizzuto, who died in his sleep late Monday night at age 89.

Blue Jays 4, Angels 1

Roy Halladay allowed five hits in his major league-leading fifth complete game for the Blue Jays, who took advantage of a season-high four errors by the Angels. Halladay (14-5) won his third straight start and improved to 10-1 with a 3.36 ERA at home this season.

Angels left-hander Joe Saunders (6-1) lost for the first time since Sept. 13, 2006. Saunders allowed four runs _ three earned _ and eight hits over seven innings.

Rangers 5, Royals 3

Gerald Laird and Michael Young homered and Kevin Millwood struck out nine in seven innings. Millwood (8-9) gave up three runs _ one earned _ and four hits. C.J. Wilson got four outs for his fifth save in six chances, stretching his scoreless streak to 15 1-3 innings. Laird's three-run homer capped Texas' four-run sixth inning.

Kyle Davies (1-1) allowed four runs and eight hits in five-plus innings. He struck out seven and walked one in 99-degree heat, the highest temperature for the first pitch of a Rangers' home game this season.

Twins 11, Mariners 3

Matt Garza (2-3) won for the first time in over a month, allowing three runs and nine hits in seven-plus innings as the Twins snapped a five-game losing streak. He was helped by three inning-ending double plays. Jason Bartlett's leadoff homer sparked a three-run fifth inning that made it 6-1. It was the second time this month the Twins scored more than three runs.

Horacio Ramirez (7-4) allowed nine hits and six runs over five innings and lost for the first time this season at home. The Mariners lost for just the second time in their last eight games.

Athletics 4, White Sox 3

Jack Cust hit solo home runs in his first two at-bats to give him 20 for the season and help Lenny DiNardo (7-6) win his fourth straight decision. Donnie Murphy also homered for Oakland. DiNardo allowed two runs and six hits in five-plus innings. Alan Embree got three outs for his 15th save.

Jon Garland (8-8) allowed four earned runs and six hits in 5 2-3 innings for the White Sox, who opened a six-game road swing out West.